Signature Set Detail: 7i. MIL 1,000 PESOS 1944 -1947 SILVER CERTIFICATES

Set Category:

World

Owner:

EMO COLLECTION 

Set Theme:

BANCO NACIONAL DE CUBA - CERTIFICADO DE PLATA

Set Description:

Silver Certificates were the very first legal tender paper money issued by La Republica de Cuba; the first year of printing was 1934 and the last was 1949. They were first printed in 1934 by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), Washington, DC followed by the American Bank Note Company (ABNC) in 1944.
To insure public confidence in the new currency, the Cuban Government authorized the Philadephia Mint to strike a new type of silver Pesos in 1934 (ABC type) in an amount equal to the face value of the new Silver Certificates printed by the BEP. The silver would be deposited and stored in reserve at the Mint. This process continued every year until 1939. The silver Pesos were secured in the Guarantee Fund as backing for the Silver Certificates which were payable in silver on demand. Very few ABC pesos saw actual circulation and most were sold and melted as bullion in 1951. Part of the bullion that resulted from this melt was used for the 1953 Jose Marti Centennial silver coinage.
The specifications for the issuance of the Silver Certificates were:
- The size averaged 2-5/8" x 6-1/8" or approximate the U.S. standards.
- Identical to U.S. paper, except in that it contains only red fibers, whereas the U.S. paper also contains blue fibers.
- The Paper Manufacturer was Crane and Company, Dalton, MA., and the composition was 75% linen, 25% cotton.
- The seals and serial numbers would be Red on all issues and denominations.
The entire 1934 issue was delivered in 1935, the late delivery caused by printing delays needed to create a new plate with Despaigne's signature instead of Landa's. The first 25 sheets of the 1 Peso notes were delivered uncut, while the first five sheets of the 5, 10, 20 nd 50 Pesos were delivered to be signed personally by M. Despaigne, presumably as presentation pieces.
PLATES FOR THE 1 AND 5 PESOS NOTES WERE FIRST PREPARED WITH THE SIGNATURE OF GABRIEL LANDA AS TREASURY SECRETARY. INSTRUCTIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM CUBA TO CHANGE HIS SIGNATURE TO THAT OF MANUEL DESPAIGNE, (NEWLY APPOINTED TREASURY SECRETARY) WHICH WAS DONE DURING DECEMBER, 1934 ON ALL PLATES FOR ALL DENOMINATIONS. A SMALL AMOUNT OF THE 1 AND 5 PESOS HAD BEEN PRINTED WITH THE LANDA SIGNATURE (82,224 UN PESO AND 14,400 FIVE PESOS) BUT THEY WERE DESTROYED. PROOF IMPRESSIONS EXIST IN THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION WITH LANDA'S SIGNATURE. The BEP PROOFS with the "Landa" signature for the UN 1 PESO and CINCO 5 PESOS note are exceedingly rare.
In 1944 the American Bank Note Company (ABNC) also began printing Silver Certificates for the new denominations of 500 and 1,000 Pesos notes. The ABNC printed 500 PESOS Silver Certificates only in two years, 1944 and 1947, while the 1,000 PESOS notes were printed in three years, 1944, 1945 and 1947.
All issued Silver Certificates held by the Banco Nacional de Cuba were incinerated in 1949-1950 period, an action that triggered the release of the ABC Pesos from the Philadelphia Mint's Guarantee Fund and their subsequent shipment to Cuba.

Signature Set Details:

Slot Name	Slot Comment	Certification #	Note Info	Country	Grade	Photo
1944-50...P76/84 NL	ABNC Progress Proof VIGNETTE of TOMAS ESTRADA PALMA Proof SPECIAL V-84984	8004957-015	$1	United States	N/A
1944...P76 NL	ABNC Printer PROOF OBVERSE UNIFACIAL Color Trial Plate F 11699	8004689-001	Cuba República De Cuba ""PROOF 1000 Pesos	Cuba	67 EPQ
1944...P76s	ABNC SPECIMEN without Red Seal stamped SPECIMEN S/N 00000	8003986-022	Cuba República De Cuba ""SPECIMEN"" 1000 Pesos - Printer: ABNC	Cuba	64
1944...P76s	ABNC SPECIMEN with Red Seal stamped SPECIMEN S/N 00000	8014286-001	Cuba, Republica De Cuba ""SPECIMEN"" 1000 Pesos 1944-45 - Printer: ABNC	Cuba	66 EPQ
1944...P76a	ISSUED NOTE S/N 18421	2501393-047	Cuba República De Cuba 1000 Pesos - Printer: ABNC	Cuba	VF 35 NET
1945...P76 NL	ABNC Printer Progress PROOF OBVERSE UNIFACIAL Black and White Plate A 85065 Extremely RARE perhaps unique	8004570-003		United States	65 EPQ
1945...P76 NL	ABNC Printer PROOF OBVERSE UNIFACIAL Color Trial Without Plate No.	1203771-001	Cuba República De Cuba ""PROO 1000 Pesos	Cuba	67 EPQ
1945...P76 NL	ABNC Printer PROOF REVERSE UNIFACIAL Color Trial Plate F 12000 dated 3/1/45	1203592-001	Cuba República De Cuba ""PROOF 1000 Pesos	Cuba	67 EPQ
1945...P76s	ABNC SPECIMEN stamped SPECIMEN S/N 00000	8005042-001	Cuba República De Cuba ""SPECIMEN"" 1000 Pesos - Printer: ABNC	Cuba	67 EPQ
1945...P76b	ISSUED NOTE S/N 090220	2501393-049	Cuba Républica De Cuba 1000 Pesos - Printer: ABNC	Cuba	XF 40 NET
1947...P76A NL	ABNC Printer PROOF OBVERSE UNIFACIAL Color Trial Plate F 12572	8004689-003	Cuba República De Cuba ""PROOF 1000 Pesos	Cuba	67 EPQ
1947...P76A NL	ABNC Printer PROOF REVERSE UNIFACIAL Color Trial Plate F 12000	8009195-001	Cuba República De Cuba ""PROOF 1000 Pesos	Cuba	67 EPQ
1947...P76As	ABNC SPECIMEN stamped SPECIMEN S/N 00000	8013370-001	Cuba, Republica De Cuba ""SPECIMEN"" 1000 Pesos 1947 - Printer: ABNC	Cuba	67 EPQ
1947...P76Aa	ISSUED NOTE S/N 175392	8003986-021	Cuba República De Cuba 1000 Pesos - Printer: ABNC	Cuba	64 NET

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